Electric clock.



No. 878,877. PATENTED PEB.11, 1908. N. FRIEDMAN.

ELBOTRIG CLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED 1707.2, 1906 3SH EETSSHEET l.

WITNESSES INVENTOI? {WWW 7% a A TTOHNEYS PATENTED FEB.11, 1908v N. FRIEDMAN.

ELECTRIC CLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 12 0s.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

7 /NVENTOH (7)627: 62 27, frz'erZw za 72 No 878,877. PATENTED PE B.11, 1908.

N. FRIEDMAN.

ELECTRIC CLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.2,190fi 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOH ATTORNEYS NATHAN FRIEDMAN, OF NEW YORK, Y.

ELECTRIC CLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent. I

Patented Feb. 1 1, 1908.

Applieation filed November 2. 1906. Serial No. 341,733.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NATHAN FRIEDMAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident .of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Electric Clock, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to horology, my

more particular object being to produce an improved type of so-called self-winding being accomplished time-piece, the winding at'predetermined short intervals, by the aid of an electric motor, the circuit through which is made and broken automatically by movements of the clock.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a clock provided with my invention, a portion of the dial being broken away so as to show certain parts of the gearing; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the general position of the electric motor, the electrical connections therefrom, the winding-shaft, and the cam mechanism connected therewith for opening and closing the circuitfor energizing the motor, and thus causing the clock to be Wound; Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary central section showing the winding shaft, the commutator mounted thereupon, portions of the contact mechanism, the revoluble armature for carrying the contact brush, and also showing the dog for stopping the clock under certain conditions, and the spring mechanism for furnishing the motive power for driving the train of gearing; Fig. 4 is a Vertical section upon the line 44 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrow and showing the commutator and contact mechanism relating thereto; this figure also contains a diagram of the wiring and electrical connections; and Fig. 5 is a perspective of the commutator, and a portion of the winding shaft extending through it.

The casing is shown at 5, the dial at 6, hourhand at 7 and the minute-hand at 8, these parts being of the usual or any desired construction.

A pinion 9 is disposed alongside of a gearwheel 10, the pinion being mounted rigidly upon a revoluble spindle 11, the gearwheel 10 being loose relatively to this spindle. Meshing with the gear-wheel 10 is a pinion 12 which is rigid relatively to a gear-wheel 13. The latter meshes with the pinion 9 and causes the same to rotate the minute-hand 8 therefore, makes the same number of revolutions as the pinion 9, while the hour-hand 7 rotates at the same rate as the gear-wheel 10. The pinion 12 and. gear-wheel 13 together, rotate loosely upon a stub-shaft 13 The windingshaft, which also serves as a shaft of the gearing and shown at 14, may in its entirety be seen in Fig. 3.

Located immediately back of the general gearing of the clock is an electric motor 15 provided with binding posts 16, 17 and a connecting wire 18, these postsbeing of the usual construction. The binding posts 16, 17, constitute the motor terminals. By means of the wire 19, the terminal 17 is )laccd in electrical connection with the metaliic framework 20. A corner-post 21 of the metallic frame-work just mentioned is encircled by a sleeve 22 of insulating material and mounted upon this sleeve is a brush 24 connected by a wire 23 with the motor terminal 16.

The electric motor 15 is provided with a revoluble armature shaft 26 carrying at its outer end a pinion 25; the diameter of the shaft 26being large as compared with the diameter ofthe pinion, in order to increase the difficulty of turning the shaft backward under tension of the winding spring. This pinion meshes with a gear-wheel 27 mounted rigidly upon the winding shaft 14. A gearwheel 28 (see Fig. 3), is mounted loosely upon the winding shaft 14 and meshes with a lantern-wheel 29, the latter being mounted rigidly upon a revoluble shaft 30 5 also mounted rigidly upon this shaft is a gearwheel 31 meshing With a lantern-Wheel 32, the latter together with a pallet-wheel 34 being mounted rigidly upon a revoluble shaft-33. The escapement driven by the pallet wheel 34 is not shown, being of ordinary construction.

The main spring of the clock is shown at 35, and is firmly connected at 36 with the winding shaft-14 as above stated, and is revoluble. The main s ring is contained within a revoluble barre 37 which is provided with a pin 38 to which the outer end of the main spring is secured. The arrangement of the parts is such that according to the view shown in Fig. 4, or according to the appearance resented to a'person standing at the 1 the friction of the revoluble armature 26 and left of Fig. 3, the direction of movement of the winding stem 14 is right-handed or as it is sometimes designated, clock-wise. A brush holder 39 having the formof an L- sha ed arm is connected by lantern pins 40 wit the center of the gear wheel 28 in such manner that the lantern pins 40' being arranged in the form of a circle, virtually constitute with their connections, a lantern wheel as will be understood from Fig. 3.

A spring wire 41 is wound into a spiral form at 42, the latter being secured upon the outer end of the brush arm 39. The spring wire 41 is provided at its-inner end with an enlarged rounded contact portion 43 and thus constitutes a contact brush, pro er resilience to which is given by the spira 42. A dog 44 is provided with a foot 45, and turns with the winding shaft 14, the foot 45 being nor, mally prevented from engaging the arm 39 because of the relative movements between these two parts, as will be hereinafter explained. A disk 46 is provided with a pro tuberance 47 and is connected rigidly with a sleeve 48, the disk and sleeve together being secured upon the winding shaft 14 by a key 49. A similar key 50 secures the arm 44 rigidly in relation to the winding shaft 14. A sleeve 48 is provided with an eccentric ortion or lobe 51, the latter being of the.

form indicated more particularly in Fig. 5, and provided with a spirally formed face, 51; that is to say the portion 51 has two faces, one a convex outer face, the other being merely a wall (51) ,the height ofwhich diminishes at successive pointsaround the circumference. The eccentric cam 51 is thus adapted to perform two distinct functions as a cam, and extends from the point 52 to the point 53 in Fig. 5.

A sleeve 54 of metal encircles a sleeve 55 which is mounted upon the winding'shaft 14. The sleeve 54 is provided with an extension 54 made preferably of platinum or other non-fusible or non-oxidizable material so as to present a good surface for the engagement ofthe enlarged portion 43 of the brush.

A sleeve 55 of insulating material is provided with portions 56, 57 of the shape indicated in Figs. 4 and 5, the sleeve thus preventing any electrical communication between the metallic sleeves 48 and 54. The battery isshown at 58 and is used for energizing the electric motor 15 as indicated.

The operation of my device is as follows: Suppose the parts are in the position indicated in Fig. 4. The metallic sleeves 48, 54, together with the insulating sleeve 55 all constitute a commutator, and are now stationary; the main spring is under tension for the reason that it has just been wound. The reaction of the s ring is unable'to turn the commutator backward for the reason that ferred upon the hands 7, 8.

, spiral lobe 51 reaches the battery.

gearing intermediate of this armature and the winding shaft 14, maintain the latter stationary for the time being. Hence, the spring in its tendency to unwind, turns the barrel 37 in a direction which, according to the view shown in Fig. 4, is clock-wise. The barrel turns the gearwheel 28 and motion is transmitted through the several gear members 29, 30, 3'1, 32, and to the palletwheel 34 and thence to the escapement. performing this movement, motion is con- Referring again to Fig. 4, it will be noted'that the enlarged portion 43 of the brush 41 is just starting to climb upon the lobe 51; that is to say, being stationary for the time being, and the brush holder 39 moving to the right or in a clockwise direction, the portion 43 must move spirally outward from the point 52 to the point 53, being meanwhile .pushed slightly toward the left, according to Figs. 3 and 5, and guided for this purpose'by the cam 46. During this time the battery circuit is open for the reason'that the sleeves 48,, 54, of the commutator are insulated from each other. (See Fig. 5.) Hence the motor 15 is motionless and the winding shaft 14 and the commutator (including lobe 52) are motionless.

The arm 39 continues under impulse of the main-spring 35, to travel; after moving a fraction (say e), of a revolution the portion 43 of'the brush reaches the point 53 upon the disk 46 and slipping the lobe 52,

sna is tightly against the contact portion 54 of t e sleeve 54; that is to say, the portion 43 following the outer peripheral surface of the point 53 where the lobe tapers off to nothing, and where the portion 43 is usually supported, being in fact against the apex or protuberance 47 and having no other course except to snap inwardly against the adjacent contact portion 54; the following circuit is thus completed: battery 58, wire 19, portion 54 of contact sleeve 54, wire 23, and motor 15, back to This energizes the motor, and causes the winding shaft 14 (carrying the commutator) to turn rapidly, thus winding the spring 35. While the spring is being wound the partial rotation of the commutator (say of a turn) causes the surface 51 (see Fig. 5) to turn relatively to the brush, without allowing the latter to move sidewise. such position that the spring is completely wound, the portion 43 of the brush 41 slips off of the surface 51, onto the sleeve 48, at

When the commutator reaches the point 52 (see Fig. 5), thus breaking electrical communication between the part 54 and the contact brush. The circuit being acquired by the revolublearmature in moving at a high speed, the degree of rotation of the commutator is greater than would seem to be necessary, judging by the time interval during which the current is turned on. In other words, the motor continues to wind'the spring after the-supply of electricity to the motor is cut off. This is due to the fact that the armature of the motor continues to turn, upon the principle analogous to that of a' top spinning, for a little time after the supply of power has ceased. The main spring of the clock therefore, actsas a brake for gradually stopping the rotation of the armature and also conservesthe battery energy employed, so as to render the operation more economical than would be the case if the power used in checking the rotation of the armature were merely wasted. The main spring being wound, the gear-wheel 28 continues its rotation, the apparatus being now in substantially the same condition that I assumed these parts to be, in beginning to describe the operation. It will thus be seen that the commutator turns say or -of a revolution and stops, and that the gear-wheel 28 turns continuously, also that the commutator remains stationary until the gear-wheel 28 and 'afrnr39 turn, say or of a revolution, and then'isagain turned under the action of the motor so as to wind the spring.

The brush arm 39 being movable relatively to the winding shaft 14 and the dog 44 being stationary upon its shaft, it follows that the arm 39 has an angular movement in relation to the dog 44; this angular movement however, is not sufiicient under ordinary conditions, to bring the arm 39 into engagement with the foot 45 of the dog. The purpose of this dog is to stop the clock in case the battery becomes exhausted or current otherwise becomes incapable of doing a proper amount of work. It is intended that themaximum tension of the spring shall be constant and that the clock shall stop when this ceases to be the case.

It will be noted that the parts upon the winding shaft are few in number, and not liable tov get out of order, and further, that they comprise a construction enabling the clock to stand rough usage. The loss of power from the friction of the contact mechanism is reduced to a minimum and this enables the, in-

vention to be applied to chronometers and disposed adjacent to said contact member, a

brush mounted to rotate with the clock gear wheel and electric connections for said brush and contact member.

Z. In an electric clock, the combination of 1 an electric motor provided with a large armature shaft, a pinion mounted on 'said shaft, the shaft being larger in diameter than the pinion for preventing backward rotation of said shaft by power applied .to the pinion, a winding shaft and'gearing connecting said winding shaft to'said pinion.

In testimony whereof Lhave signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

NATHAN FRIEDMAN. Witnesses:

WALTON HARRISON, Jno. M. BITTER. 

